The final Xbox Scorpio price and release date details are set to be unveiled by Microsoft this summer, ahead of its 2017 launch as the principal PS4 Pro rival gaming console.

However, one retailer may have spilled the beans early.

Spanish retailer XtraLife (via DesiXBL) is advertising the upcoming Xbox Scorpio console with a €399 price tag. That's roughly £335 in the UK, although it's more likely to cost £399 if the advert is accurate.

The price of the Xbox Scorpio is seen as a major potential stumbling block for the new console and there have been conflicting reports about how much it may cost.

Microsoft previously described it as a premium console and said that it would cost more than the Xbox One S.

Xbox boss Phil Spencer also said that it would meet the demands of the higher-end consumer and would therefore have a higher price point.

"It will cost more than S, obviously, that's how we are building it," Spencer said.

"We have not announced the pricing yet, but I want to make sure that the investment we are putting into the product of Scorpio meets the demands of the higher-end consumer and that will be a higher price."

It was expected that something was set to be revealed during a new Microsoft hardware in New York on May 2nd, starting at 9.30am, under the tagline “Learn what’s next”.

The event follows weeks of rumours surrounding what Microsoft has planned for the remainder of 2017, but it appears unlikely to hold anything directly linked to Project Scorpio.

There may be some kind of Xbox One news, however, a new Windows 10 Cloud operating system reportedly set to be unveiled is likely to be the main spectacle.

Windows 10 Cloud is thought to be targeting the success of Google’s Chrome OS, and should also run Universal Windows Apps.

It seems likely that this will have some kind of effect on the Xbox One and Project Scorpio, although just how far Microsoft will go with their integration is anyone’s guess.

Microsoft Xbox Scorpio image gallery

While you would imagine that Microsoft and Sony are big rivals that guard their secrets closely, there appears to be one area where the Xbox Scorpio and PS4 Pro are both set to thrive.

That’s due to both tech giants apparently being open to helping each other out when it comes to virtual reality.

While the technology has reached a place where games can finally be rendered at a good quality, the titles themselves have yet to set the world alight.

It’s easy to see why things like PlayStation VR and Oculus Rift remain niche, the price point alone is enough to put off many casual players.

There is also the lack of blockbuster games, Resident Evil 7 did much to sell the values of VR, however, more titles are needed.

The market remains challenging and may explain why both Sony and Microsoft have been more than open with each other when it comes to virtual reality.

Xbox chief Phil Spencer recently revealed more on the subject, explaining how Sony teams have visited Microsoft and vice versa.

“The Sony guys have been great,” he told Gamasutra.

“they’ve had our teams down, we’ve had them up to look at HoloLens and stuff that’s been going on.

“Obviously Valve’s about a stone’s throw from here. So the VR community itself is actually very collaborative because I think everybody realizes how early we are in the evolution of what this thing is about.”

VR could be a big selling point for the Xbox Scorpio and PS4 Pro, especially when you consider how the market may move forward in the coming years.

The Xbox Scorpio is Microsoft’s latest attempt to win back developers and boost their fortunes in the console market that is heavily dominated by the PS4 and PS4 Pro.

The new console has the more impressive specs, the CPU is said to be 30% faster than that of the original Xbox One, while the GPU is 4.6 times more powerful than its predecessor.

Interestingly, the 8GB of memory - which is up from the 5GB found in the original Xbox One - allows the console to process art assets, making it easier to run 4K resolution visuals at higher speeds.

But that might not be enough to beat the PS4 Pro and Nintendo Switch in a market where they have been available for a much longer time.

By the time the Xbox Scorpio is finally released, Sony might even be able to reduce their price on the Pro, making for an interesting console clash.

The Nintendo Switch, meanwhile, will also have become well-established and its unique hybrid selling point might be enough to persuade gamers that it will make a better holiday purchase.

Xbox One Backwards Compatibility Games 2017

All the Xbox One Backwards Compatibility Games added in 2017 so far.

But Microsoft isn’t sitting idle, having recently confirmed a new feature that might help fans make up their minds beforehand.

According to a new post on the Xbox Insider Program Hub, Microsoft is set to offer refunds on digital game purchases through Xbox Live.

That will include titles on Xbox One and PC, and will of course extend to the Xbox Scorpio.

"You’ve spoken; we've listened," the Microsoft message explains.

"In support of offering gamers the freedom of choice, we're making changes to the Microsoft Store purchase experience by offering customers a simple way to instantly return digital products like games and apps through account.microsoft.com.

"When a game or app leaves you wanting more, we're here to help. Self-service refunds on Xbox One and Windows 10 provide a quick, simple way of returning a digital product."

Gamers will reportedly be eligible for self-service refunds within 14 days of purchase, if they have less than 2 hours of play time across all accounts.

However, this will not extend to DLC, season passes, and add-ons, which won’t be eligible for the self-service refunds.